The Taming of the Schue
by jenna's last jam
Summary: April didn't like to be attached to anything, but for some reason she couldn't get New Directions out of her system.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Not much to say, only that this is not your average April fic. Enjoy :)**

April Rhodes hated the rain. She couldn't help but curl into a defenseless ball whenever it began to pour. She leaned her head against the large window in the sitting room. The cold sent a shock through her system, yet she refused to budge. The condensation from the window met her tears and they both flowed seamlessly down her cheeks. Her life, as it was, was not worth living. She had no connection to her family, and no real job. To the world, she was invisible. She took a sip of her red wine and sighed.

Tonight was not special. Buddy had fallen asleep at seven, a result of his new medication, so April was alone. Sometimes she enjoyed being with Buddy, it was nice to have someone to talk to. It was even better that he never seemed to answer back. She saw him at the other end of the room in his recliner, his mouth slightly agape. She took a quilt from the back of his leather couch, and quietly put it on him. It was too hard to move him into his bedroom, and all of the aides had left for the night. They knew that he didn't like to be watched when April was over. They merely turned a blind eye to the affair.

April figured that Buddy was around the same age that her father would be. She wasn't sure what his name was exactly, or even if he was still alive, but she hoped that for a moment, he had thought about her.

A gulp of red wine sent all thoughts of her father, flying out of her head. She didn't want a buzz kill, especially one that was father induced. She began roaming around Buddy's mini mansion. She felt like she should be walking by oil lamp or by candle, but she merely had the soft glow of a cellphone. Knowing that her casual sex partner wouldn't wake up even if a tornado ripped through the home, she felt safe in turning a few lights.

The least used of all the rooms was the game room. Buddy had it converted in hopes that someday his teenaged niece and nephew would come visit, but they were always too busy. A pool table sat in the middle and collected dust, along with a dartboard and an old PacMan game.

There were very few framed pictures around the house, and none were in the game room. It could be mistaken for a room in anyone's house, or in any catalogue. The deep red walls didn't make it warmer, instead she felt increasingly alone. She felt as if she had walked into an empty floor model at Pottery Barn.

She picked up a cue and racked as many balls as she could find. It had been some time since she had last played pool, but she did still have some talent. Her only problem was when she got into impossible angles where her arms simply couldn't reach. The feeling was familiar, and she was at ease.

She had been playing for around twenty minutes, when she heard a soft, yet startling, knock on the door frame. She looked up to find Maya Libowitz, in all of her glory. Her caramel brown hair was swirled into a tight chignon that seemed to pull her face back with it. She had just come from a business dinner, April deduced by her pant suit and silver clutch. As she looked closer, she noticed the grey hairs above her ears, and the wrinkles on her forehead. She figured that Maya could be the same age as her mother.

"I just.." April put her cue back on the rack, and began digging the balls out of the table pockets. "I'm not an intruder or anything.."

"Stop." Her tone was forceful. April dropped her head and her blonde hair formed a curtain over her red face. "I know who you are."

"You do?" April wasn't sure how to feel. She had a pretty sweet gig on weekends like this. it sure as hell beat staying at the Super 8. Maya slinked into the room and looked April up and down.

"You sure are a pretty little thing. No wonder he likes you so much."

"What?"

Maya got closer, but still kept a breathable distance. She looked as if she was going to reach out and touch April, but she kept her hands to herself.

"Tell me dear, what do you do for a living."

"Not much really." April picked at her nails and looked at the floor. "Buddy, let's me work at Rinky Dinks."

Maya let out a loud laugh. "How much business does that place even bring in. Buddy refuses to tell me."

April stayed quiet, and Maya got her answer.

"You know, Buddy opened that place when we were dating. He proposed to me on that very center stage." She was lost in thought, and April smiled. She hadn't known Buddy long, and she didn't really know anything about his past. She had never thought about his relationship with his wife, or how they had met. Relationship had become a dirty word in April's vocabulary. She figured that she could never love anyone else, since she could not find a way to love herself.

"God, he was a romantic. And a wonderful skater too." Maya leaned on the pool table. She ran her index finger on the edge and tisked at the amount of dirt it picked up. "I feel like we're living in Grey Gardens. But at least they had each other."

April wanted to leave, but she felt like she had so much to learn from this woman.

"I don't want to tell you how to live your life sweetheart, but this?" She shook her head at the lonely room. She leaned close into April and whispered into her ear. "You deserve better."

April's heart sank. She felt like she had let this woman down, and she barely knew her.

"Now, do you have somewhere to sleep tonight?" April shook her head. "Well, I'll pay for a hotel room for you, or you could sleep in one of the guest rooms." Thunder boomed overhead.

"I think that I'd be more comfortable at a hotel." Maya nodded and reached into her clutch.

"You really don't have too…" Maya looked at April. She wasn't angry at her for sleeping with her husband. Their marriage had fallen apart years ago, and she simply wanted him to be happy. And if April did that? She was fine in her book.

"Yes" She placed two one hundred dollar bills in April's small hand. "Just take it." April smiled and mouthed a 'Thank You.' She passed Maya and maneuvered her way into the sitting room, in the dark, to find her duffel. Buddy was still sleeping, but April whispered a quick goodbye into his ear, and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She wasn't in love with Buddy, she didn't even find him remotely attractive, but she loved the fact that her looked out for her. Some people would label him a Sugar Daddy, but April just felt that he was a guy who helped her, when she needed it the most. Once April reached the double french doors at the front of the house, she called a local taxi service that she had programmed into her phone. It was the first time she she had ever called it sober.

Within fifteen minutes, she was standing outside the Lima Super 8, and it was still raining. The man at the front desk knew April by name, and knew that she preferred to stay in room 189. It was a suite style, and had a small balcony that overlooked a pond. She fantasized circling the pond in a small boat, and then her dream grew into floating down a canal in Italy with a sweet man who loved her to death. She did have quite the imagination. But then she remembered, she had to call Will.

"Hello?" Answered a groggy voice at the other end of the line. April glanced at the clock, it was only 10:45.

"Will? It's April. I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"No, not at all." April heard sheets ruffling. She knew that he was in bed. "Is everything okay? Are you at Buddy's?"

"Uh no, i'm not. He.. uh.. Had a doctor's appointment and needed to go out of town." She couldn't admit to Will that her lover's wife had found her playing pool alone and gave her two hundred dollars to get out of the house.

"Okay, so why are you calling me." April's brain froze. Why _was _she calling Will? _Oh right._

"I have a problem with the kids set."

"The glee kids?"

"Come on Will.."

"Okay, okay. What's wrong with it?"

"You have too many ballads. There's only a certain amount of belting an audience can hear before they go nuts."

Will was silent for a moment.

"Well what do you suggest?"

And in that moment, April knew that she once again had her foot in the door of the New Directions.


	2. Chapter 2

April always liked to make her bed at hotels. Her mother worked at a Marriott in the outskirts of Lima when April was growing up, and she always heard stories of people leaving their rooms in utter shambles. She wasn't the neatest person privately, but when she knew that other people were going to see wherever she was living, she tried to clean up.

It was 7:14 in the morning and she was already awake and showered. She made her bed quickly and threw all of her makeup and toiletries into her duffel. Rinky Dinks didn't open until 2pm, but April had plans before then.

The hotel was only a few blocks from McKinley, so she decided to walk. It was a nice morning, and the sun dried April's hair quicker. No one noticed when she walked into the school, because she was shorter than most of the students there.

She only had to walk down a short stretch of hall before she found Will Schuster alone in his classroom. She knocked softly on the doorframe and then leaned against it.

"Hiya."

He barely looked up from his papers.

"Oh, hey April." She couldn't help but notice his glasses, and how sexy they made him look.

_That's my greeting? Oh no, Will Schuster. We aren't playing that game. _

__"So." She threw her duffel onto an empty desk in the front row. She flinched when it almost fell off. She wanted Will to think that she was cool, calm, and collected. "Big day in la sala de clase?" Will raised his eyebrows at April's usage of the language she had previously failed at.

"Oh don't think anything of it, I translated it on my phone." Will smiled as he saw the April he knew shine through. She hopped up onto a desk and smiled coyly.

"April.."

"What Will?" She winked.

"April," He stood up. "I have a class in," He looked at the clock. "TWO minutes, and i'm really," He looked her up and down. "Not interested."

She frowned and hopped of the desk. Without looking at Will, she produced a large binder from her duffel. It made a large _thump _when it landed on his desk.

"Well have a nice day then."

"April." He grabbed her sleeve. She looked at it, and then back to him. "I like you April, but just not. You know."

"I get it Will, you just don't have to be such an asshole about it." He defensively crossed his arms. April found it increasingly difficult to not be attracted to him. "Just look at the binder."

"Mr Schue?" April and Will quickly turned to see who was at the door, and were equally parts relieved and annoyed that it was Rachel. "Oh April, wasn't expecting to see you."

Of all the glee kids, Rachel was the one April couldn't get along with. It was because she saw so much of herself in Rachel, and as a child she was taught, _there can only be one star. _

"Just on my way out. "

"No, April stay."

Rachel glared at Will. Because she was also taught as a child, _there can only be one star. _Well, Mr. Schue, I was just coming in to tell you that Mercedes is out today. She has the stomach flu." She then leaned into no one in particular. "Though I know that's totally a lie, because Whitney Houston is doing a CD signing in Columbus." She raised her eyebrows and then returned to a normal stance. "So obviously, she won't be in rehearsal today Mr. Schue, so I was wondering if I would try out some new material?" Rachel beamed and April rolled her eyes.

"Sure Rachel, whatever." Will was already tired of dealing with females for the day. He wished that he could just go to his favorite sports bar and watch some football with the guys.

"Thank you Mr. Schue, I promise not to disappoint!" She skipped out of the room knowing full well that she was in control of the situation. Her star would never fade, it would simply grow and grow until there was a supernova, and then pieces of her would be spread amongst the universe.

"Well look at you, all high and mighty." Will had forgotten April was there. She had her duffel in her hand was halfway out the door. "You sure do run this choir with an iron fist. Ms. Alder would be oh so proud." Will remembered his glee coach from so long ago. She was loving, but could set you straight in a minute. She would never let someone like Rachel walk all over her, she sure as hell didn't let April.

"April, stay for glee. I can't.." He couldn't find what he was looking for.

"Let Miss Diva walk all over you? So you want me to step in and play Mama?" She had inched up to his face, and her eyebrows were raised.

_Those damn eyebrows. _

"If it isn't any trouble." He said with a sigh. He could handle the guys just fine, but he was clueless to the girls. Mercedes usually kept things in check, but with her gone, it might as well be a free for all.

"Buy me lunch in the cafeteria?" She winked.

"I'll buy you steak and lobster if you can help me keep things in check." April smiled and threw her duffel behind Will's desk.

"It's a deal Will." She smiled again and finally made it to the doorway. "Say Will?" They had already turned a corner and were headed to the faculty room for some coffee.

"Yeah April?" He followed behind her, but not too closely. He knew that they would inevitably run into Emma.

"Why do people call you Will?" She stopped in front of a row of lockers. Will couldn't help but notice how well she fit back in at McKinley.

"Because it's my name..?" He was afraid that maybe she hadn't sobered up after all.

"Well I know that, but there are so many nicknames for William. Why not Bill?' He grimaced.

"My dad's name was Bill." April stopped, her mouth agape.

"You mean, you're Will junior?" Will awkwardly scratched his neck. He hated being referred to as Will jr. He loved his father, but he wanted a separate life, he wanted to be his own person.

"Yeah, I am. But I prefer Will. I think that it suits me better." He continued walking while she remained at the lockers. It seemed as if she was velcro-ed into place.

"Well, alright. Will." She could feel her smirking from behind him. "Willy, Liam." He stopped. "Billy Bo Jangles!"

"APRIL." April smoothed her hair. She wasn't going to be scolded by a man four years younger than her, in a high school.

"Will, you should probably keep your voice down, we are in a learning facility." She whispered the last part, which made Will angrier.

"Just go get your coffee." Will opened the faculty room door with one arm, and let April enter underneath. The room was sparsely populated; a few TA's mulled around a tray of stale danish, and the Principal poured a coup of coffee from the new brewer that everyone had pitched in to buy. Will watched as April made small talk with Figgins as she picked up an empty white cup that said I LOVE MOM on it. Will noticed Figgins stare at her when she poured her cup, and especially when she walked away.

"You're gonna drink that straight?" April silently produced a packet of Splenda from her pocket. Will had his eye on her the entire time, and did not see her take anything other the mug and the coffee. This time, he raised his eyebrows.

April shook the packet and winked. Will wondered if she was a magician, or a petty thief. Will found his red McKinley High coffee mug in the cabinet. He was always worried that Sue would take it, she always seemed to have her eye on the large cappuccino mug.

He sat at his usual table, but in Emma's spot sat April. Since their falling out, Emma either sat across the room, or just ate in her office. It was cleaner in their anyway.

"This place sure has changed." April said without a hint of sarcasm.

"You were in the faculty room when you were a student?" April nodded as if he was the dumbest individual ever to grace the earth. Will's mind went to the worst situation, and April noticed his change in demeanor.

"What? I always got Mrs. Adler's coffee for her." She took a sip of her brew, but her attention was drawn to the door.

Emma entered, but kept her eyes at a level above everyone else. She didn't think that she was better than anyone, she just simply didn't want to deal with them. Especially Will. April casually sipped on her coffee, and didn't pay any attention to the red head at the door.

Emma had brought her own perfectly sanitized coffee cup to fill. It was just a plain, white mug, that way she could see if there was any dirt or stains on it. Since her fall out with Will, she hated going into the faculty room. She wasn't sure what hurt more, seeing him with other people, or not having him in her life at all.

Will heard her enter; he could tell by the fast click of her heels. He knew that she liked to get in and out as soon as possible. He looked up for a brief moment and saw her foreword gaze. He cleared his throat to get her attention; he didn't want_ them _to be over. She stopped and their eyes locked for a moment, her face was neutral until she saw his blonde guest. April, being friendly, gave a warm smile to the woman she faintly recognized.

Emma immediately turned around and left the faculty room. She could not stand April Rhodes. Not only was she a bad influence on the kids, but Emma felt that she was a bad influence on Will.

April nudged Will with a smirk. "Looks like someone woke up on the wrong foot!" Will shook his head. "What's this now, Will? Got a little crush?" April gave an encouraging smile.

"Just finish your coffee April."

"Will, if you have lady problems, I can help. Trust me, I have a lot of relationship experience." She winked and then finished off her brew. "What's next on our agenda?"

Will hadn't planned an agenda, because he had no idea that April was coming in. So he had to think of something, fast.

"Well first period is my prep period, and second I have a class. But I have a lot of papers to grade so.." He felt like a teenaged baby sitter who was fresh out of fun activities for the kids. "I could, unlock the chorus room for you..?"

April lit up. When she was a student at McKinley, the chorus room was her safe haven. She didn't have the best home situation, so Ms. Adler gave her open access to the room at all times. The janitors knew about it, and they often let her in at 1 or 2 in the morning. Sometimes April would fall asleep at the piano, and wake up in time for her first period class.

"I'd love that Will, that would be really great." Will smiled and finished his coffee.

"Here." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold key. "You remember where it is, don't you?"

"Do I ever." April felt giddy, but she didn't want to show it.

"So I have fourth free for lunch, and then glee's fifth. See ya then?"

"You bet." Will took their coffee cups and washed them in the sink. He watched April as she bounced out of the room and down the hall. He was trying to focus on his current task, but he couldn't get April off his mind.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N Time! : This chapter is a FLASHBACK. AND, I do not in anyway promote underage drinking. Okay. **

April Rhodes was the life of the party. She held a beer above her head in salute to the gods that blessed her with the amber liquid that allowed her to escape. She didn't know what song was playing, but she danced to the beat. Soon, several boys were around her. Some were drinking their beer, others were saluting as well. The world disappeared, and they all danced until their visions turned dark. April's mom was on a weekend trip to a casino and April's dad had left before she had even knew him. Their house was usually nice, but the party trashed it within minutes. A few glee girls milled around the corners of the room. April was by far the most sociable of all the girls in glee, and most of the girls in the school. Most of the party guests were on the football team, but there were people from all walks of McKinley High. April didn't discriminate.

The party ended like all did. April took all keys so people either passed out, or got picked up. She woke up on the couch in the arms of her longtime boyfriend Vinnie.

"Morning babe." His breath was stale and she cringed. She wanted to stay with him longer, but she had business to attend to. There were people on the floors, a few in the stair well and about four in each bed. April did a head count, and then got to work.

Since her mother was gone so often, April took it upon herself to learn how to cook. She whipped up two full pans of eggs, and all of the bacon she could find. Soon, people began appearing, and ate the food as soon as it was finished. April brewed coffee and sipped a cup at her table. A shaggy haired boy took some bacon and eggs, and sat next to her.

"Thanks for this." He chowed down in his messy button up and khaki's.

"No problem, kind of a tradition, really. Want some coffee?" He shook his head and finished off his eggs. She could see Vinnie getting up in the other room so she made him a plate and poured him a cup.

"That your boyfriend?" April had forgotten that the shaggy haired boy was still there. She looked at Vinnie; disheveled but still gorgeous.

"Yup." She replied as she got him silverware from the almost empty drawer. She had been with Vinnie since sophomore year, and she was pretty sure that she loved him. He made her laugh, and treated her well. And at 18, that was good enough for her. They talked about leaving Lima and moving to New York, but the dream got further and further away everyday.

"He seems like a cool guy, he sure has some pipes." April looked at the shaggy boy, where did she know him from?

"Yeah.." She said uneasily. "Do you.. Uh. Need your keys?"

"I can't drive.."

"Then do you need a ride?" She could tell that he hadn't thought about how he was getting home. She tried to place him, wrestler? No. Football? No way. Glee?

"That would be... Awesome." She saw his smile and she knew; second row tenor. Vinnie finally made his way into the kitchen, his hair perfectly tousled.

"Hey babe." He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the crown of her head. She felt slightly embarrassed that the kid was still sitting there.

"Got your breakfast." She handed him the plate and felt like a housewife. It was a feeling that she didn't enjoy. Vinnie took the plate and kissed April once again.

"Isn't she the best?" The boy nodded as he finished his bacon.

"Totally."

"Hey, aren't you in glee?"

"Yeah" The boy seemed excited that someone had recognized him.

"Cool. Uh, Bill?"

"Will."

"Right, Will."

The three sat in silence for a few minutes; Vinnie eating, April drinking coffee, and Will reading the newspaper. April felt Vinnie's arm slip around her waist and she settled in.

"So Will? You have a good time last night." Vinnie winked at him, and Will shifted uncomfortably.

"I didn't really talk to anyone. Everyone seemed to be in their own element." April saw that Will wanted desperately to fit in, but he didn't know where to start. He ran his hand through his messy hair and rubbed his eyes.

"Ya alright trooper?" April noticed that the kid didn't look too good. He seemed a little green around the gills.

"Yeah, uh, do you think that I could still get a ride home?"

"I'll go get my keys." Vinnie followed her upstairs and into her, now messy, room. Her purse had been kicked under her bed, but she was glad that no one else had touched it.

"You're bringing this kid home, Lizzy?" Vinnie rarely called April by her first name, he preferred to used any variation of her middle name, Elizabeth. He thought that it was dumb that her mother had named her April, even though she was born in September.

"Yeah, what's the problem. I have to go out anyway."

"Okay, well I come with you."

"No, I'll really be okay. You have nothing to worry about baby." She reached up and kissed him on the lips. His taste was bitter, but she enjoyed it. So much, in fact, that she went back for seconds. "I'll be right back." She cooed. Vinnie leaned in for a goodbye kiss, but April put her finger on his lips. "Twenty minutes tiger." She winked, and he watched her leave. April drove Vinnie nuts. He wanted out of Lima more than anything else, but he wanted her to be with him. They were the most well known power couple in all of McKinley.

"Hey kid!" April yelled as she clomped down the stairs. (The first shoes she had found were a pair of heels) "You ready to go?" She expected to find him in the kitchen, but it was empty. She turned to the living room, but it was empty too. "Will?"

"In here, April." A weak voice came from her left, the downstairs bathroom. She took a deep breath as she knew what was coming next. Will was hunched over the toilet, and his hair was streaked with sweat. April thought that perhaps for once she would get through a party without someone getting sick, but she was sadly mistaken.

"Hey, are you okay? Want a towel or something?" Will's face was pale, and April saw moisture at the corners of his eyes. "Were you crying?"

"I just," Will wiped his nose on this sleeve. "Hate throwing up." April kneeled beside him and rubbed his back. Will gave a final retch, but nothing came out. April reached for a towel as he slumped against the wall.

"Push your limit?" She had been in his shoes before, many times. April started drinking when she was fifteen, and never thought anything of it.

"I don't really have a limit.." April raised her eyebrow. "Last night was the first time that I'd ever had a drink."

"Are you kidding? And you chose to do it at my house?" April was getting angry. She felt guilty that there were tons of kids drinking at her house, but it was things like this that made her rethink the whole thing. "Come on, kid. I'm taking you home." She helped him stand up and she grabbed her keys. He was getting color back in his cheeks, and she gave him some paper towels to dry his hair with.

Thanks to her mother's wealth (and wealthy boyfriends) April drove a new black Ford Taurus. She didn't drive around much, Vinnie took care of that, but when she got out, she felt free. Unfortunately, she had a passenger. He slumped over in the seat and closed his eyes.

"You were fine during breakfast." April deadpanned as she pulled out of her driveway. Will lived eight minutes away, she only had to deal with him for eight minutes…

"Yeah, I don't know what it is. Maybe I have the stomach bug." April glared at him. The last thing she wanted was a stomach virus. It made her own stomach turn, just thinking about it.

"Let's just get you home."

The car ride was silent. Will alternated keeping his head propped against the window, and propped up in his hands. April had put on a large pair of sunglasses so it wouldn't be obvious that she was constantly checking on him. And so people wouldn't recognize her. She didn't mind being friends with underclassmen, but they weren't all exactly "chummy".

"So you, uh. Feeling any better?" April offered as she flicked her turn signal. Will took a deep breath and raised his head.

"Honestly?" She took a look at him and knew the answer, she sighed and made the turn.

"On this road right?" It took Will a moment to adjust to his surroundings, but he eventually nodded. The Schuseter home was moderately sized and moderately decorated; the typical style of a suburban Ohio home. April pulled over on the road, so he could get out easily and she could make a speedy get away. "Are you gonna be okay?" April smiled weakly. Will smiled back.

"Yeah, thanks for inviting me to the party though. It was killer."  
"Don't puke on the upholstery." April rolled up the window and drove away.

This encounter was soon lost on April. She spent the rest of the day cleaning up her house and spending time with Vinnie. Her mom came home later that night, and never suspected a thing. A week later, she packed her bags, and headed off to New York City in her Ford Taurus with Vinnie at her side. She left behind all of her memories of high school, and all of the connections she had made there. There was no turning back for April Rhodes. She was a star, and soon, everyone would know it.


End file.
